1. Promotion of energy-related policies in Japan

3. Promotion of international cooperation in many areas

1. Promotion of energy-related policies in Japan

a) Private sector engagement

ECCJ contributes to energy conservation in factories, office buildings and stores, which consume a great deal of energy, by helping owners improve their conservation practices and introduce new equipment and technologies.

Energy Consultations and Audits • We dispatch energy conservation experts to small and medium sized factories, building and stores to provide advice on improving energy efficiency. It also offers detailed energy audits and periodically holds seminars.

Energy Conservation Factory Surveys • We conduct on-site surveys of factories and also analyzes their mid-term and long-term conservation plans.

Energy Conservation Grand Prize • We award Energy Conservation Grand Prizes each year to outstanding examples of energy conservation and electricity-saving among companies, municipal bodies, institutes, etc. Their accomplishments are publicized and introduced at energy seminars and exhibitions.

Support for CO2 Reduction • Businesses in Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture that use more than a certain amount of energy have to report their CO2 emission amount to the prefectural government, after having it verified by a third party. ECCJ is one of the third party verification bodies.

ENEX Held Each February • ENEX, the Energy and Environmental Exhibition, is held in February, which is designated as the month for promoting energy conservation. It is a comprehensive exhibition for energy conservation and new energy solutions.

b) Household and Local Community Involvement

ECCJ supports energy conservation practices in homes, schools and workplaces in collaboration with local governments, while providing information on the latest energy saving equipment, products and so on.

Collaboration with Local Governments • We hold lectures and seminars in communities, and provide energy audits for homes.

Energy Lessons in Elementary Schools • Our energy conservation experts visit elementary schools across the country to provide special lessons that encourage students to think about global warming issues and energy conservation in their homes.

Free Seminars • We hold energy-saving seminars in collaboration with municipal bodies, public institutes, industrial organizations, and so on, with free admission.

Top Runner Standard • Based on the Energy Conservation Act, the Top Runner Standard is applied to home electrical appliances, gas and oil equipment, cars and other products. It certifies that the product has achieved the highest level of energy conservation within a given period of time, as was achieved by a reference product in the same product category during the same time period. We list these products on our website, and also provide Energy-Saving Labels and Unified Energy-Saving Labels that show consumers at a glance whether or not a product has achieved the Top Runner Standard.

International Energy Star Program • ECCJ supports this program for office equipment by listing qualified equipment and providing information on our website.

c) Issuance of Energy Manager Certification

Under the Energy Conservation Act, companies which consume large amounts of energy must appoint managers who are responsible for the energy management of their companies or factories. ECCJ is a designated organization for implementing training and national examinations to certify these energy managers.

Examinations, Courses and Seminars • A person can quality as an Energy Manager by either passing a national examination or attending a training course and then passing an exam, both of which are offered by ECCJ. We also hold one-day energy-saving seminars throughout Japan.

To effectively promote energy conservation, electricity saving and CO2 reduction in companies and communities, it is necessary to develop human resources who can take the initiative in leading these efforts. ECCJ is a key organization in this area, through various training and qualification programs, and other activities.

Seminars and Training Programs • We offer technical seminars that provide the latest information to engineers in charge of energy conservation programs and equipment, as well as seminars that teach practical technologies and methods. We also provide various training activities in response to requests from companies, municipalities, and other organizations, including in-house training, lectures, on-the-job training and other advice.

Energy Conservation Certification Programs • One of ECCJ’s most important functions is to provide energy conservation certification programs, of which there are three types. The first is to certify professional people such as engineers, facility managers and workplace supervisors, who hear lectures, take a written examination and submit a report. The second is to certify professional energy auditors, that is, people who can perform energy audits and make proposes for improving the total energy management of workplaces. They also must pass an exam and submit an actual audit. The third is for home “energy conservation experts,” such as government and organization employees, as well as ordinary citizens and students. They receive a textbook and are certified via examination.

ISO50001 Auditors Evaluation and Registration • ISO50001 is an international standard in the energy management field that came into effect in 2011. ECCJ approves training courses for ISO50001 auditors and evaluates and registers the auditors.

Energy Conservation Magazine • We publish a monthly magazine called Energy Conservation, the only such publication in Japan dealing with energy conservation. It provides a wide range of information on policies, technologies, energy-saving tips and so on.

Books, Handbooks, etc. • We publish many books and handbooks that provide both basic and technical information, including books dealing with the Energy Conservation Act and other laws, reference books for people taking examinations, the Energy Conservation Handbook, facility/building energy conservation handbooks, and other general and specific handbooks.

3. Promotion of International Cooperation in Many Areas

Naturally, energy conservation to combat global warming and other environmental issues must be a global effort. Based on governmental agreements, ECCJ dispatches experts and accept trainees, especially to and from developing countries in Asia, to spread the policies and technologies of energy conservation. Various other activities also support international cooperation in this vital area.

Dispatch of Energy Experts • We dispatch energy conservation experts to promote energy management techniques for factories and buildings, propose energy management systems, support efforts to build bases for energy conservation activities, and develop human resources. We have dispatched over 1,000 experts to more than 30 countries.

Acceptance of Trainees • We accept trainees from around the world, mainly Asia and the Middle East, who are responsible for the proposal and implementation of energy conservation policies in their countries. They receive practical lectures, take factory tours and engage in wide-ranging training activities.

Promotion of Japanese Energy Conservation Expertise • ECCJ supports the operation of the Japanese Business Alliance for Smart Energy Worldwide (JASE-World), which was jointly established by the government and private sector for the purpose of promoting Japan’s advanced energy conservation technologies on a business basis. We have published the brochure, Japanese State-of-the-Art Smart Energy Products and Technologies, and hold exhibitions both in Japan and overseas.

Other International Activities • We participate in other international energy conservation activities, such as IPEEC (International Partnership for Energy Efficient Cooperation) to promote energy management techniques around the world.

About The Energy Conservation Center Japan (ECCJ)

ECCJ (Energy Conservation Center, Japan) is the Energy Efficiency Facilitating Hub for the United Nations’ SEforALL (Sustainable Energy for All) initiative. Learn more